New Iron Media Blog

September 14, 2007

One of the blogs I follow is Mark Batterson's. He is lead pastor for one of the 50 most influential churches in America according to The Church Report. He has just started a series on the elephant in the room for church. His first message dealt with The Gray Elephant in the Room. He deals with issues that we have spent too much time on the church making black and white or legalism.

I have to agree. I heard over and over from church that certain things were just wrong, no real biblical basis but imposed convictions or legalistic beliefs. Things like all secular music is bad or in my wife's case going to movies. Mark makes a great point in his blog on the topic, "God-fearing and God-loving people will disagree on gray issues until Jesus returns."

I'm not posting this for the purpose of arguing whether the gray issues are right or wrong, but we need to keep our focus on things eternal. So whether you think speaking in tongues is for everyone or not or if social drinking should be allowed, all I'm asking is have your opinions, but don't let them cloud your vision.

God has called us to do two simple things: Love God and Love Others. In our love for Him we should strive to love others and in doing so will fulfill the great commission to make disciples. Let's spend less time arguing legalistic tendencies and more time making disciples.